While Rangers appear to have accepted defeat in the pursuit of a man who was near the top of the club’s summer wishlist, that does not mean a summer departure won’t still happen.
In fact, a move to England – rather than Scotland – is starting to feel more likely by the day.
Now, Rangers have their fair share of ‘ones that got away’. Had things worked out differently, Ibrox may now be home to the likes of Joey Veerman, Andreas Skov Olsen, Albert Gudmundsson, Xavi Simons, Ian Maatsen and more.
Five players who would surely command fees in excess of £30 million these days.
Whether we will one day be talking about Jose Cordoba as a centre-half capable of moving for a similarly eye-watering fee, only time will tell.
Rangers‘ loss, however, looks certain to be Norwich City’s gain; the club from England’s second tier closing in on a deal that will set them back £3.1 million.
Norwich City overtake Rangers in Jose Cordoba race
Daniel Borimov, Levski Sofia’s executive director, does not confirm or deny whether Carrow Road will be Cordoba’s destination. But, while admitting that talks with a couple of as-yet unnamed ‘foreign clubs’ are underway, a resolution to the Cordoba saga should be only days away.
“We are negotiating with foreign clubs for Jose Cordoba. When the time comes, you will find out what will happen to Jose Cordoba,” Borimov tells Kota Sport.
“It all depends on the price. If the respective player is sold, we will look for another in that position. If we have to and the player we have targeted requires a transfer fee to be deducted, we will do so.”
Rangers entered advanced talks with Cordoba back in May, the Panama international left out of Levski Sofia’s squad that following weekend as a result. Bulgarian publication TEMA Sport have now shed a light on why Norwich have overtaken Rangers in a race Philippe Clement’s side looked likely to win, saying that the Glasgow giants wanted to pay that £3.1 million fee not up front but via performance based add-ons.
One suspects, then, that Norwich are willing to offer a bigger initial fee for a man who will reportedly earn £7,000-a-week in East Anglia.
Ibrox giants turn to Thomas Galdames
Rangers, at least, are wasting little time licking their wounds and feeling sorry for themselves. The Scottish Premiership runners-up almost immediately turned their focus to Thomas Galdames, the 25-year-old Chilean who should be available for a bargain fee with his contract at Argentine outfit Godoy Cruz expiring in a few months’ time.
“I have a contract in Godoy Cruz until December. Mine and their idea is that they sell me now,” Galdames, who can also play at left-back, tells En Cancha while suggesting that Europe will be his destination.
“My agent is working on that. I know that, (by( going to Europe in a competitive league, I am going to continue growing.
“My career has been very progressive, especially upwards. I hope something comes out in June or July. Today the market opened, so in these months we will have news.”
